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Corporate carbon emissions and market valuation of organic and inorganic investments

Author

Listed:
  • Adamolekun, Gbenga
  • Kwansa, Nana Abena
  • Kwabi, Frank

Abstract

We empirically examine the impact of a firm’s carbon emissions level on the market valuation of organic and inorganic investments. We document that the market reacts negatively to corporate investment announcements by companies with high carbon emissions levels. Further analysis indicates that the discount on market valuation is more pronounced for the set of organic investments, within which only asset acquisitions and product launches are negatively affected by the high carbon emissions level at the announcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Adamolekun, Gbenga & Kwansa, Nana Abena & Kwabi, Frank, 2022. "Corporate carbon emissions and market valuation of organic and inorganic investments," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:221:y:2022:i:c:s0165176522003615
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2022.110887
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Heinkel, Robert & Kraus, Alan & Zechner, Josef, 2001. "The Effect of Green Investment on Corporate Behavior," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 36(4), pages 431-449, December.
    2. Edward Jones & Hao Li & Oluwagbenga Adamolekun, 2022. "Excess Cash Holdings, Stock Returns, and Investment Organicity: Evidence from UK Investment Announcements," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 58(4), pages 603-647, December.
    3. Sudheer Chava, 2014. "Environmental Externalities and Cost of Capital," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(9), pages 2223-2247, September.
    4. Gollier, Christian & Pouget, Sébastien, 2009. "Shareholder Activism and Socially Responsible Investors: Equilibrium Changes in Asset Prices and Corporate Behavior," TSE Working Papers 09-081, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    5. Philipp Krueger & Zacharias Sautner & Laura T Starks, 2020. "The Importance of Climate Risks for Institutional Investors," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(3), pages 1067-1111.
    6. Pedersen, Lasse Heje & Fitzgibbons, Shaun & Pomorski, Lukasz, 2021. "Responsible investing: The ESG-efficient frontier," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 572-597.
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    8. Bolton, Patrick & Kacperczyk, Marcin, 2021. "Do investors care about carbon risk?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 517-549.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gbenga Adamolekun & Anthony Kyiu, 2025. "Corporate carbon footprint and market valuation of restructuring announcements," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 64(2), pages 595-620, February.
    2. Kwabi, Frank Obenpong & Adamolekun, Gbenga & Kyiu, Anthony, 2025. "CEO power and firm decarbonisation efforts," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    3. Awijen, Haithem & Ben Zaied, Younes & Ben Jabeur, Sami, 2025. "Mobilizing FDI in natural resources in the post-COP28 era: Spatial drivers, natural capital, and sustainability dynamics," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    4. Adamolekun, Gbenga, 2024. "Firm biodiversity risk, climate vulnerabilities, and bankruptcy risk," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    5. Chenghao Ye & Igor A. Mayburov, 2025. "Does an Environmental Protection Tax Promote or Inhibit the Market Value of Companies? Evidence from Chinese Polluting Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-26, October.
    6. Frank Kwabi & Samuel Fulgence & Gbenga Adamolekun, 2024. "CEO hubris and corporate carbon footprint: The role of gender diversity," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(8), pages 8102-8125, December.
    7. Zanin, Luca, 2025. "Corporate carbon emissions and financial performance: A flexible copula-based model to address non-random sample selection," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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